Wichita eagle., 1887-11-12
TINY STAGE STARS.
HOW CHILD ACTORS ARE OBTAINED
AND TAKEN CARE OF.

! A Hundred Children for Spectacular
Performance-Bother with the Mothers
| of the Wee Ones-Scared Before the
| Public.
@How do you get the little professionals"
| asked the reporter. He was talking with
Mrs. Fernandez, who trains children for the
stage, and whose daughter, the dark eyed,
dark haired Bijou hernandez, Is the star
child Of the profession.
"By the best way Of securing anything one
advertising in the newspapers. a
/ short time ago L wanted 100 children to ap-
| pear in the Fall of Babylon at Erastina,
/ from June TO September. They'll live there
with nurses whom l have engaged to look
after them. and viii have q grand time
romping over the ground when they're not in
the spectacle. They'll have a summer in the
| the country, lots Of fun, and make money be-
sides l advertised for children TO go on the
Stage at the time l was put in charge of the
child department Of this production, ard l
,Dust have had 500 applications, Anyhow,
tie line Of mothers and children extended
down the two flights of stairs from my office
| to the street and around the corner. Even
farmers from Long Island and New Jersey
| came with their children"
MAKING a SELECTION.
"Ifow do you select from so large num-
ber:"
Usually ! make q general selection by
questioning the children-such Of them as are
old enough to falkland finding out if their
hearts viii really be in their work. II ! find
that the little ones are frightened at the idea
OF going on the stage, and would have to be
forced by their parents l have nothing more
to do with them But il rarely happens that
q child doesn't want TO go on the stage. On
the contrary, children as a rule are delighted
with the idea Having made general selec-
ton, by questioning them on these points,
taking also looks into consideration, appoint
a time for further trial can soon tell if
there is any good material to work on The
names Oh those have thus selected 90 down
III my address book. When l send children
out with travelling companies, | also try 20
secure engagements as super ladies for their
mothers Or cider sisters"
Aren't many of the children Young
Booths and Anderson, III their mothers es:i-
nation"
oh yes. Many mothers bring TO me chill
d;en they call natural born actors For such
[ have little use. They have been drilled at
home to recite mechanically. l want children
who are natural-who have chiIdrcn's emo
tons. don't even teach my children elocu-
ton. | first teach them to carry themselves
gracefully and then to go through the bust
uess required Of them naturally and easily
What ages have tue children on your hst!o
II take them as young as months, because
1 always like to have two good babies OH my
list. From babyhood | Jump 1T once to
years, and the highest limit is Ii years"
Don't their theatrical surroundings make
children look upon life as artifciaI!
Sometimes. l can tell you one two in
stances which are amusing and yet pathetic.
One little boy, who was taken to the seashore
for the first time last summer, turned 10 his
mother as he saw the waves rolling in and
said: How do they work them? Another
child, little girl, exclaimed, on looking out
upon Il country landscape for the first time.
ON awakening after a nights Journey:
'Alemma! mamma! the stage is set for the
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